Organizing Against Multinational Corporate Power In Cancer Alley

Abstract

This article documents how a small, oppressed, and seemingly powerless community in Louisiana persevered to defeat the strategic plans of a multinational chemical company that was supported by local and state government elites. The evolving construct of environmental justice played a significant part in this battle as community groups formed coalitions with local, state, and national agents and organizations to challenge the decision to site a hazardous facility. Lawsuits resulted in costs, lengthy delays, and uncertainty for the corporation, leading Shintech to abandon its original site of choice. Data were gathered from media archives and coded and analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Implications of the study are discussed for stakeholder theory, environmental justice scholars, and community advocacy groups, as it is even more clear from this landmark case that noxious industries can be thwarted as they attempt expansion, start-up, or even permit renewal, especially in minority or economically deprived communities.